Conny-Land: Freizeit Fun for the Family

As the name might suggest, Conny-Land is somewhat of a cross between Brooklyn's Coney Island amusement park and Disneyland. I had the privilege of going with my former Chefin, Al, and Little L -- a sort of farewell event during my last days as the family's au pair. If you are in eastern Switzerland and have got some kids lying around, you should definitely make a visit. (The season ends October 18 and doesn't start up again until next spring -- so hurry!) I do think that amusement parks are a ton more fun if you go with kids, don't you think so?

Although visitors to the park who have seen the wonders of Disney amusement parks may find Conny-Land a bit run-down, it redeems itself in many ways.

• The Dolphin Show: Sea World's dolphin show has nothing on this one. This is probably the newest part of the park (other than "Cobra," the new roller coaster that has yet to open). I found this show to be highly entertaining, despite the fact that I understood only a handful of what the presenters were saying. However, I did gather that the dolphins have a very lovely shelter during the winter months when the park is closed.

• Get Wet: Ok, this one is only a redeeming factor during the hottest days of summer, but there is a log ride similar to Disney's Splash Mountain that gets you good and plenty wet. There is also an area toward the back of the park near the giant slides where water shoots out of the ground and you can run around in your knickers to cool off.

• Giant Slides: You know the ones where you ride down on a piece of carpet? Yeah. Need I say more?

• The Parrot Show: I feel a bit sorry for the birds since they look a little mangy, but they do some funny tricks. The lady who does the show is awesome.

All in all, I had a great time with the kids, but I think I would have had an even better time if that Cobra ride had been open! By the way, the park is pretty small, so don't expect to be overwhelmed by a huge amount of attractions.